KathrynWheeler

WHEELER, KATHRYN SOLMS Kathryn (Kate) Wheeler passed away Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the age of 57, displaying the grace and dignity that had marked every step of her long battle with a debilitating illness. Kate was born and raised in Grosse Ile, Michigan, with extended stays in Europe as a child. It was a life of relative privilege that paradoxically nurtured in her a deep empathy for those not so materially blessed, as well as a yearning to live more simply and honestly. She took a step in that direction by moving across state to attend Hope College in Holland, where her exceptional writing talent was justly celebrated. She graduated cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. At the honors convocation, she received the prestigious Eerdmans Poetry Prize. She then moved to Montana, a virtual world away from the elite island community she would never visit again. She had arranged to work on her Master's degree with a prominent poet who died shortly after her arrival. His death prompted her to return to West Michigan and take a writing position with office furniture maker Herman Miller, Inc. She eventually settled in Grand Rapids, where she met and married Don Wheeler, her beloved husband of more than 22 years. She went on to do award-winning creative work for other area furniture companies and marketing firms. Becoming disillusioned with the business world, she switched to the field of educational publishing. She wrote several children's story books, plus study books on specialized and timely topics. Then she earned a paralegal certificate and went to work for a boutique litigation law firm specializing in such issues as civil rights and consumer protection. She became an outspoken advocate for underdogs of all stripes, and an implacable critic of those who abuse power. For the past five years, Kate struggled with a rare progressive disease that sapped her strength but never her spirit. She continued to delight her friends with her unfailing good cheer and infectious laugh. She pursued her passion for social justice by contributing articles to the Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy (GRIID). And she rarely missed feeding time on the back porch, where an exuberance of squirrels gathered to eat from her hand. A memorial service to celebrate Kate's life will be held at 12:30pm, Tuesday, May 8, 2012, in the Keeler Room at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St NE.